Has the return of Kamp Armen been caught up in the general election?

Still, no official step has been taken for the return of Kamp Armen to its rightful owner. Although current property owner Fatih Ulusoy announced he would return the deed, the official procedure that needs to be carried out at the deed registry was not completed this week either.

As a month has now gone by in the process for the return of Kamp Armen, which began with the attempt to demolish the children’s camp, there is still no concrete outcome. The current owner of the property, Fatih Ulusoy, made a statement on May 23, declaring he was donating the camp to the Gedikpaşa Armenian Protestant Church Foundation. So far, Ulusoy has only submitted the written document of donation to the Church Foundation. However, since the official procedure has not been fulfilled, this document has no power.

It has emerged that the meetings between Ulusoy and Tuzla Mayor Şadi Yazıcı have not concluded. Ulusoy made a statement last week, declaring that the technical procedures continued and that the transfer would be completed last week. However, further talks produced no result, and no statement was made to the public regarding which problems or details were discussed. Meetings are expected to continue between the sides.

On the other hand, reports from AKP circles point out that the work to form a coalition and a new government following the general election may further delay the return process.

“The vigil must grow”

Meanwhile, the vigil the Nor Zartonk group initiated against the demolition continues. Norayr Olgar, a Nor Zartonk activist, stated that there was no truth in the statement that the Kamp Armen problem had been solved, and that both the vigil, and life at the camp continued.

Olgar made a call to expand the vigil at the camp, saying, “We share the table of friendship, peace and fraternity. The hope of coexistence which we have created by listening to each other, producing together, and trying to understand each other with our halays, songs, workshops and panels unfortunately forces the resistance into isolation because of the State’s policies of lying and intimidation. However, we continue our vigil and struggle in a manner that befits the memory of Hrant Dink. Despite the difficult conditions, the vigil at the camp continues. We know that what makes us strong is our solidarity. It is only in this manner that our resistance, and our hope of coexistence will grow, and Kamp Armen will be liberated with solidarity and resistance. Against the State’s lies and policy of disregarding our struggle, now is the time to resist at Kamp Armen, which was founded with the labour of thousands of children and Hrant Dink, and to stand in solidarity with the Armenian people. Our vigil for justice must grow.”

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Agos was founded in 1996 by Hrant Dink and a group of his friends, in order to report the problems of the Armenians of Turkey to the public. It is the first newspaper in the Republican period to be published in Turkish and Armenian. Agos's editorial policy focuses on issues such as democratization, minority rights, coming to terms with the past, the protection and development of pluralism in Turkey. As a newspaper that has emerged from within the Armenian community of Turkey, Agos aims to further open its pages to the issues of Turkey and the world. As independent journalism and freedom of expression face increasing restriction in Turkey, Agos also acts as an independent platform for debate.